Looking at new cars, electronics. even appliances, everything now is touch screen.
Not only do I think dials and buttons look better (on most things, think cars/boats), I find them more functional, intuitive and simply better. I dont need my fridge to have 40 different settings and timers to put mood lighting on my vegetables.
I know it’s probably a “cheaper to manufacture” with a screen, but I would love to see a movement back and make all these devices easier and more aesthetically pleasing.
At least give us the option for both.
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Honestly I want buttons back
I remember my first Hi-Fi.
Wood Panelling & Solid Metal with a weighted radio dial that could continue to slowly rotate after you let go.
I can remember the feel of the controls, the shade of the backlit instruments & the smell of it even decades later.
With cars, it’s not just annoying, it’s dangerous. Drivers didn’t ought to be going through menus to find core features. They should be focusing on the road with important features being tactile and easy to find.
Downvoted. This isn’t much of an unpopular opinion.
Hugely popular opinion
Also, isn’t putting more screens in cars dangerous? In my 2012 with buttons I don’t have to look to change the music or turn on the AC. In the 2025 family car, I’ve gotta stare at the screen searching for what I’m trying to do, which is way more distracting.
Agree especially in cars. At the very least give me an analog knob for the volume and the fan.
It’s more expensive for the screens than the buttons but the reason why is so they can be lazy and bring DLC with features they promised you when you bought the thing. Everything is predatory like this now
Read the subs title
Let’s also bring back the funny sounds these devices made back then.
One of the reasons why I prefer older cars. Had a rental the other day and hated the touch screen. Prefer my simple 2010.
I also miss the tactile-ness of buttons. It’s definitely easier, and also if the touch screen on your stove gives out vs a single button or knob, you’re fucked.
why would you say something so controversial and yet so brave?
i saw something the other day talking about how everything is a screen, and it is actually a big issue for the blind. I know this is about driving, but the design of everything seems to be headed in this direction
I miss my black berry with real buttons.
I AGREE, i want to feel things, i need more tactile stuff!! also arent buttons more accessible for blind people? (correct me if im making wrong assumptions)
Popular opinion. It’s only unpopular among upper management at car manufacturers.
Upvote because I love the simplicity of a screen. If you only want to do two things, you can learn only 2 things. If you want to get more in depth, you have the option.
Bottoms, knobs, and dials kept breaking or chipping on me. Yes a screen could have the same issue, but it’s unlikely because nothing extends out.
Not unpopuular at all, I think we’re all with you.
Not unpopular.
It’s not just cars. If you play guitar and are suddenly drowning in virtual knobs, sliders, and faders, it’s utterly obnoxious.
I don’t mind screens but they should never replace physical buttons
This isn’t unpopular at all.
So I’m gonna take issue with aesthetically pleasing.
And I know, you’re gonna wildly gesture at some 70s/80s golden era simple machine, and yes, it’s beautiful.
But a vomit of buttons, I don’t see too much beauty in. The idea of a car looking like an airplane cockpit sounds cool (to a certain kind of person) until you’re living with dedicated buttons just for rarely used features like displaying an app registration code or toggling speed controlled volume. And the cheap plastic buttons say less “complicated machine” and more “00s RadioShack.” Oh, and the rows that are shorter than others because you don’t have the highest trim.
Yes, you can consolidate them, to a point before it becomes lamer. Where volume knobs twist to infinity instead of stopping at 100 or visually indicating volume level, because it’s no longer just a volume knob but an outdated input. Using a dial to pick letters when renaming inputs isn’t natural and meditative, it’s just annoying.
You’re just trying to make original series Star Trek sets seem realistic again.
We all agree with you